Five hot-button issues as the Heat prepares for the start of its training camp at AmericanAirlines Arena:1. Is it fathomable that the best is yet to come from Dwyane Wade?The supposition this offseason has been that last season has to be as good as it gets from Wade (pictured below), considering, at least statistically, he was about as good as it got in the league in 2008-09.

Yet players considered in the upper echelon have stayed there by doing it over and over and over again, as Michael Jordan did, as Kobe Bryant is doing.

Nothing from Wade's performance from last season indicates that he cannot replicate his numbers. The roster remains basically the same. The coaching staff, and, therefore, the playbook, is intact. And there was never a sign that opposing defenses truly "solved" the Wade riddle.What it comes down to is what it has always come down to — health. The seventh-year shooting guard missed just three games last season, after missing 31 in each of the previous two seasons.The difference this year is he is not coming off a summer with the national team. But he is, again, coming off a summer of work with noted trainer Tim Grover.Will the expectations weigh on Wade? They haven't on Kobe and LeBron these past few seasons, so there is no reason to believe Wade can't again join those two at the top of the balloting for Most Valuable Player.2. Is it a leap, at this stage, to have faith in Michael Beasley?Do Erik Spoelstra, Pat Riley and even Dwyane Wade have any choice?With such limited personnel movement in the offseason, the Heat's growth has to come from within.There certainly is plenty of room for growth with Beasley, who started just 19 games as a rookie and averaged a pedestrian 24.8 minutes per game last season.As a starter, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft averaged 16.7 points and 6.7 rebounds, compared to 13 points and 5.0 rebounds as a reserve. The rebounding particularly came around when Beasley was given increased minutes at the end of last season.For all his issues, and there certainly are plenty, Beasley's only on-court problems were typical of most rookies — lack of awareness defensively, holding the ball too long on offense.There is immense talent there. But the Heat has to find out if it translates into something tangible for the future, whether Beasley can be trusted as a building block for the overhaul that is coming next summer,For a team that supposedly is all about "culture," this season will be as much a story of the Heat's off-court support system as Beasley's increased role in the rotation.3. Will the April 14 season-ending roster resemble what's offered Oct. 28 against the visiting Knicks on opening night?Much of that will depend on whether the Heat takes advantage of its favorable early schedule.Should the victories mount and confidence build, then there might be enough faith that what's in place will eventually be enough to earn Dwyane Wade's signature on a long-term deal.

However, if there are more than a few missteps before the Feb. 18 trading deadline, the Heat has enough expiring contracts to try immediately to make things right with its franchise player.

That, in essence, could have Quentin Richardson, Jermaine O'Neal, Dorell Wright, Udonis Haslem and several others with lapsing deals on notice.Should the Raptors struggle early, there could be another run at Chris Bosh. Should Carlos Boozer (pictured at right) continue to grumble, there could be a move for the Jazz power forward. Even disgruntled Warriors swingman Stephen Jackson could enter the equation, if Riley believes doubts are building from Wade.Most likely, what the Heat sees on Oct. 28 is what it takes into the postseason, with plenty of hope for increased contributions from Beasley, O'Neal and James Jones.4. What's the point of so much inexperience at the point?Clearly, the goal at one point had been to lose Chris Quinn's contract in some type of deal, otherwise it's unfathomable that the team paid $1.5 million for the second-round draft pick utilized on point guard Pat Beverley, who since has departed for Greece.A staple of the Pat Riley approach has been a veteran presence at point guard, be it Gary Payton, Keyon Dooling, Rafer Alston, Eric Murdock, Damon Jones, Bimbo Coles or, of course, Tim Hardaway.While Dwyane Wade will handle the ball when his contributions are needed most, it is difficult to envision how the Heat considers itself any type of true playoff contender with the inexperience of Quinn and second-year starter Mario Chalmers at the point.Could Chalmers evolved into a long-term keeper? Certainly. But there is as much chance at this stage that he also turns out to be a middling presence.How serious the team is about its playoff hopes will become evident by its approach at point guard.5. How will the forward thinking turn out?

Unless Michael Beasley (pictured at left) is force-fed an unfamiliar role at small forward, the Heat has four candidates for that starting role, none of whom exactly inspire overwhelming confidence.

James Jones, who has four more seasons of partially guaranteed money on his contract (including $2.1 million in 2012-13), finished last season as the starter at the position.Quentin Richardson, who has made 389 career starts (compared to 59 for Jones), has been classified as a shooting guard by Heat President Pat Riley and also holds an attractive $8.7 million expiring contract, making him potentially more attractive as a trade chip.Yakhouba Diawara is a quality defensive stopper, but hardly anyone's idea of an everyday starter.And Dorell Wright has done nothing to inspire confidence these past few seasons.So perhaps it will be Beasley by default. But Jones might make the most sense, considering the Heat already has a longer commitment to him in place than to any other candidate on the roster.

Comments (154 Comments)

It’s so funny how when the fins lose all the blame goes to everyone but penny and when they win all the credit goes to him. He can’t lead the team to a td drive to anything less than a 15 play drive. He doesn’t have the zip on his passes to allow for run after the catch. A game changing qb covers up mistakes made by teammates during the course of the game by taking over the game. It seems like one mistake by anyone and the game is over. That tends to burn out teammates eventually. However, the main reason fins fans should be happy pennington is done is because he has NEVER been able to stay healthy for two straight seasons. Do you really want to count on someone with that type of injury history to lead you to the promised land?

It’s so funny how when the fins lose all the blame goes to everyone but penny and when they win all the credit goes to him. He can’t lead the team to a td drive to anything less than a 15 play drive. He doesn’t have the zip on his passes to allow for run after the catch. A game changing qb covers up mistakes made by teammates during the course of the game by taking over the game. It seems like one mistake by anyone and the game is over. That tends to burn out teammates eventually. However, the main reason fins fans should be happy pennington is done is because he has NEVER been able to stay healthy for two straight seasons. Do you really want to count on someone with that type of injury history to lead you to the promised land?

im up for to sign 3 good players instead of 1max fa.
if u can sign gay,boozer,rondo.
with wade and beastley already here,than u have a “real contender”,cause now the nba have 5 to6 great teams,and some of them probably ll keep getting>(look at the cavs).of course it ll have kobe,kg,ray,pierce,vince,manu,duncan,rj aging too,but we really need to make a huge jump.
we ll have also 2 1round draft picks,that we can trade for 1 or for a center.
i know it ll be hard to add + role players(cause of the cap)if we sign the 3 i said,but that is the only thing e have bsides wade,but beasley ll become another good to great player too.
also hope that jo can maintain himsekf healthy.
we should look +to the rest of the world at least in signing centers,look marc was a late draft pick,spliter also.scola is a pf,but is another good big that came for cheap.

IRA WINDERMAN is embarking on his 24th season covering the Miami Heat for the Sun-Sentinel, witnessing more than 1,900 of the team's games (thus the bags under the eyes and hair loss not truly depicted by the accompanying photo). With the help of antacids (during the lean years) and a sense of humor (during the Riley dictatorship), he has been able to remain a courtside fixture at AmericanAirlines Arena, a veteran 12 years older than coach Erik Spoelstra. Only former trainer Ron Culp had attended more Heat games, but, then again, Winderman has yet to tape his first ankle.